When you take just a few moments to organize your office space, you’ll save time every day, and you may even make more money as your business runs more efficiently and productively.
Here are six simple things you can do today to organize your office:
1. Keep your filing system simple. Everyone’s ideal system will look different. Some people work better with tall file cabinets, which hold everything they need. Other people prefer labeled boxes that they can take with them to work with different colleagues and clients. The point is to find something that you feel comfortable with and that you will maintain.
If you are working with a filing cabinet, divide it into chronological or alphabetical groups. Some groups of projects, clients or invoices may require an entirely separate drawer. Many people successfully use a color coded system, which works as long as you don’t have too many categories. (If your needs are limited to such categories as “expenses” “income” “projects” and “correspondence,” for example).
2. When designing your filing system, make sure you give it enough room to grow. Try to leave at least 30 percent of each file or file drawer empty for additional documents that will need to be added. That way, you won’t need to reorganize your system in a few days or weeks.
3. Routinely purge documents you don’t need. Find out if you need to be hanging onto inactive files. If not, send them to the shredder or the recycling bin. If you aren’t sure, stow them in the archives and not in your immediate office space.
4. Your filing system won’t do you any good if you don’t maintain it. Make sure to designate a particular part of your day or week to catch up on your filing. The easiest way to do this is often to have a “To Be Filed” folder in your desk or in your file cabinet for those items that you can’t file right away. At least each week, make sure to file these items or ask an assistant for help. It won’t be long before you find the system that works right for you. The important thing is to maintain your filing so the task doesn’t grow out of hand.
5. Hang a simple corkboard near your desk for those items you need to refer to throughout the day, such as phone lists, to do lists, meeting agendas, price lists and so on.
6. Purchase any necessary containers you will need for small items, such as pens, paper clips, and extra staples. There are a number of innovative products on the market today to keep your small office items organized. Give yourself a small budget to make your office as streamlined and productive as it can be.
All of your efforts to organize your office will have a payoff. Your business will be more efficient and productive, and that will be your greatest reward as well as the greatest incentive for continuing to maintain your organized office system.

It seems simple enough paper shredders shred paper, right? Sort of. A shredder is a sort of catchall word used to describe the mechanized process of destroying confidential or sensitive papers to ensure private information is not revealed to others. While all paper shredders have the same goal, they do not all achieve their objective in the same manner or with the same level of effectiveness.

The two main types of paper shredders are strip-cut shredders and cross-cut (confetti-cut) shredders. Strip-cut shredders are also known as straight-cut or spaghetti-cut shredders and cut the paper into long strips about A¼ to A½ inch wide running the length of the original paper. The narrower the strip, the more secure the shred. This type of shredder creates the most waste and is the least secure, as the pieces can be reassembled; however, they require less maintenance and can handle high volumes of paper. Cross-cut/Confetti-cut shredders are also known as micro-cut or diamond-cut shredding machines. They cut the paper horizontally and vertically into approximately 500-800 small geometric shapes such as diamonds, rectangles, and parallelograms. Although these shredders are more expensive and may require more maintenance, they provide a more secure shred and require fewer trips to the trash bin to dispose of shreds. The smaller the particles that the machine produces the higher the security that is offered and the slower the shredder will operate.

Other types of shredders include particle-cut shredders, disintegrators and granulators, hammermills, pierce and tear shredders, and grinders. Particle-cut shredders cut the paper into small squares or circles. Disintegrators and granulators randomly cut and recut the paper until they are a fine powder. Hammermills do not cut the paper at all. Instead, they “hammer” the paper through a screen creating tiny paper grains. Pierce and tear shredders do exactly what their name suggests; they pierce the paper with rotating blades and then tear it. Grinders shred paper by grinding the paper until it is small enough to pass through a screen.

In addition to differences in how paper shredders work, they also differ in their capacity and quality. There are shredders designed for personal use by an individual or small group shredding fewer than 200 sheets per day, office shredders for larger organizations, production shredders for nonstop business use, and high security shredders for the best information protection. Shredder feed capacity ranges from one sheet at a time to over 500 at a time. To avoid a breakdown, look for a shredder that can handle about 20% more volume than you predict you will require.

Shredders also offer different features such as automatic start/stop. These shredders are equipped with sensors and will begin shredding automatically when paper is inserted. Another useful feature included with some paper shredders is a bag or rack for shredded paper. This reduces the work involved in handling paper shreds. Although most paper shredders can handle the occasional overlooked staple or paper clip, efforts should be made to check for these types of foreign objects prior to shredding. Because of the variety in quality, capacity, and features, there is no single best shredder. The best shredder is the one that makes the most sense based on user needs.

The home office may be one of the places where you spend large quantities of your time. Having one generally means that you opted to do your job within the comforts of your home. This is a space where you do your work, earn for a living and spend time building up your dreams, aspirations and your chosen career path. Working in a home office is a good thing, since working at home means that you are not shackled by the usual demands such as punctuality, dress code and even deadlines!
A home office means that you have to do the systematizing, keeping things in order and setting the place up yourself. Do not fret, though for things will surely run smoothly for you if you have the sense to buy office supplies that would save you a lot of stress and worry in the days to come.
The Essentials:
Perhaps the most essential item in a home office is a desk, a chair and maybe a computer system to keep your entire database in. When purchasing a desk, it is usually best to look for one which is not too high to strain your shoulders and not too low to strain your back. Try to choose one which would best fit your height. A big desk is usually better than a small one but think of the floor space first before purchasing it. A cramped office will not probably be the best place to do your work. Your chair should also be ergonomically correct to fit your frame, weight and height. Look for a chair that is sturdy enough to carry your weight and strong enough to withstand constant changes during movement. Try to buy one which encourages good posture when sitting for this decrease your chance of developing stiff and sore muscles when working. A computer system may be optional for some but believe me, living in a highly technological world calls for you to have the convenience of a computer system complete with a printer, multimedia speakers and a scanner. A computer system is a good investment for any home office for having one means that you have a handy storage for some of your files. An internet connection also cuts your telephone expenses in half.
Other Office Supplies:
When buying office supplies, it is best that you list down all the basics first before going to the store. Try to think of all the things you will need and make sure that the expenses will fit your budget. A filing system or a filing cabinet is usually a big help when setting up a home office. This helps keep your files organized and in order. You can usually label your filing cabinets for better categorizing and classifying your files. Try to stock up on bond papers, envelopes, ball pens, pencils, erasers, a stapler and some paper clips to help you run things smoothly too. A calculator is a great and handy device that could help you do your job better so try to have one near you.
Setting up a home office is really gratifying because when you set up your office yourself, you know that your satisfaction and comfort is the main thing in your mind.

Overview:

Why Buy Recycled Paper and Tree-free Paper?You may wonder, “Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper?” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making paper from recycled materials produces 74 percent less air pollution and 35 percent less water pollution. When you ask yourself, “Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper?” it’s important to realize that using recycled paper helps save valuable natural resources in our forests  and reduces the paper waste filling up our already over crowed landfills.Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper? Because recycled and tree-free paper work just as well as virgin paper. They’re used in many homes and offices for printing, faxing, copying and other administrative duties. In order for paper to be considered recycled, the government currently requires that it contain at least 30 percent recycled material.The Benefits of Recycled and Tree-free PaperWhen consumers use 100 percent recycled paper, they automatically use less chlorine. Chlorine produces Dioxin, a dangerous chemical that studies show can lead to cancer in people and wildlife. Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper? Because they can lead to a healthier environment for everyone. Tree-free Paper AlternativesThe production of tree-free paper is another step toward decreasing deforestation. Tree-free paper is not made from tree fiber. Plant fibers derived from hemp, kenaf, cotton, sugarcane, flax and many other easy to grow agricultural plants may be used instead of trees.  Right now tree-free paper is considered the most environmentally friendly paper available. Reduced Chemicals Mean Reduced Pollutants Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper? Since products made from tree-free paper can be made from other plant sources instead of trees, fewer chemical are needed to break down and separate the paper fibers from the plant. They are usually chlorine-free, and some brands are even pesticide-free. Fewer industrial chemicals mean a cleaner environment. Trees can take anywhere from seven to 20 years to grow while it only takes about 10 weeks to grow the plants needed for tree-free paper. Why Buy Recycled paper and tree-free paper? Environmental Solutions So when you ask, “Why buy recycled paper and tree-free paper?” One answer to consider is the fact that it significantly cuts down on the depletion of our natural resources and contributing to overfilled landfills, and environmental pollution. Buying recycled and tree-free paper is a big step in the right direction.